Fri Mar 21 20:30:00 UTC 2025: **NTSB Recommends Vulnerability Assessments for 68 US Bridges After Deadly Baltimore Collapse**

**Philadelphia, PA –** Following the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging the owners of 68 US bridges to conduct vulnerability assessments to prevent similar incidents. These assessments, which would evaluate the risk of collapse from vessel collisions, are recommended for bridges built before current safety guidelines were established.

The list includes iconic structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as several bridges in the Philadelphia region, including the Delaware River Turnpike Bridge and those managed by the Delaware River Port Authority. The NTSB emphasized that the recommendation does not imply an imminent collapse risk for these bridges. However, the board noted that the Key Bridge’s risk level was nearly 30 times the acceptable threshold before its collapse.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that a vulnerability assessment on the Key Bridge could have prevented the tragedy, which killed six construction workers. She cited the Maryland Transportation Authority’s inability to provide necessary data for the NTSB’s own assessment as a contributing factor.

The Delaware River Port Authority CEO, John Hanson, highlighted a key difference between the Key Bridge and Delaware River bridges: the presence of protective structures called dolphins designed to prevent ship collisions. The NTSB’s final report on the Key Bridge collapse is expected this fall. The agency’s recommendations focus on evaluating the risk level against AASHTO standards and developing comprehensive risk reduction plans where necessary.

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